Interpretive Summary: Introductions of insect species into regions outside of their native ranges can have important effects on ecosystem health, local agriculture, and human health. Scientists with USDA-ARS, Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory, Wapato, WA and USDA-APHIS, Miami, FL identified 127 specimens of pirate bugs intercepted on international shipments arriving at U.S. ports-of-entry. Results showed that the majority of specimens that were intercepted were of species not native to the U.S. and not known to be established anywhere in the continental U.S. These results confirm scattered literature reports that the pirate bugs may be common stowaways in international shipments, and that APHIS efforts at U.S. ports-of-entry are successful at intercepting species of pirate bugs not yet established in the continental U.S.

Technical Abstract:
Specimens of pirate bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)) intercepted at Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services inspection stations and housed at the Miami Inspection Station were examined and identified to species or genus. The 127 specimens were distributed among 14 genera and 26 identified species in three families: Anthocoridae (99 specimens), Lyctocoridae (9 specimens), and Lasiochilidae (19 specimens). Seventy-eight of the 127 specimens could be identified to species. For each identified species, we provide brief descriptions of habitat and prey preferences, and a summary of currently known geographic range. Fifty-six of the 127 specimens were of a single genus: Orius Wolff. The specimens of Orius comprised at least 9 different species. Specimens were intercepted on a variety of commodities, including ornamental plants, cut flowers, bouquets, agricultural produce, ceramic tiles, and wood products. Fourteen of the identified species do not currently occur in the continental U.S.; moreover, the 49 specimens that we could identify only to genus almost certainly also are of species not currently established in the continental U.S. The majority of intercepted specimens arrived on shipments from the Neotropics and Europe. Specimens of Lasiochilidae and Scolopini (Anthocoridae) were entirely from shipments arriving from the Neotropical region. Specimens of Orius were intercepted on shipments from the Neotropics, Mexico, Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Finally, 10 species were intercepted on shipments arriving from countries not previously listed as being part of their known geographic ranges. One Old World species, Cardiastethus affinis, known previously only from East Africa and India, was intercepted in two separate shipments arriving from Central America and the West Indies.